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Community organizingAn Activist Approach to Community-based Education
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Reason for Community Organizing
Not a problem of technical know-how, but of power
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Bryk, A. S. & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. New York: Russell Sage.
Gold, E., Simon, E. & Brown, C. (2002). Strong neighborhoods and strong schools: The indicators project on education organizing. Chicago: Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform.
Henderson, A. & Berla, N. (1994). A new generation of evidence: The family is critical to student achievement. Washington, DC: Center for Law and Education.
Henderson, A. & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Whalen, S. P. (2002, April). Report of the evaluation of the Polk Bros. Foundation’s full service schools initiative: Executive Summary. Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago
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Reason for Community Organizing
When educators and community organizers collaborate to organize for better education, schools typically improve and student achievement increases. Reasons:
Community pressure for more resources and district accountability
Increased parental engagement
Improved staff development and teaching
Student mobility decreased by up to 50%
Increase in mutual respect and trust between the parties
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What is Community Organizing?
Power: the ability to act
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What is Community Organizing?
Source of power: the capacity to mobilize large numbers of community members to challenge political priorities that keep things the way they are.
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What is Community Organizing?
Crucial element - the power analysis: the assessment of who has the institutional authority to make decisions concerning organizing demands, and which allies might be mobilized in support of the group’s campaign.
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Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education
Increased responsiveness of school division leaders to concerns of low-income and racialized parents and community members
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Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education
Substantial new resources and more equitable distribution of existing resources
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Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education
New policy to improve curriculum, school organization, teacher recruitment and preparation, and parent engagement
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Outcomes of Community Organizing in Education
Improvement in school’s climate and instructional core
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How Do Groups Organize?
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Saul Alinsky(1909 - 1972)
“organization of organizations”
self-interested campaign development
confrontational direct action tactics
the “professional organizer”
“populist pragmatism”
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Fred Ross(1910 -1992)
door-to-door model of canvassing
“house meetings”
statewide organization to advance local demands
Cesar Chavez & Fred Ross
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Second-wave feminism(1960s - 1970s)
consensus-based, non-hierarchical decision-making
Kate Millet, 1970
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Civil Rights MovementU.S., 1960s
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Civil Rights MovementU. S., 1960s
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Black Power MovementU.S., 1960s & 1970s
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Civil Rights Movement
Critical events, e.g. school closing, are opportunities to organize
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Civil Rights Movement
Existing organizations and institutions (e.g. churches) can contribute by changing their function, purpose, and manner of operation
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Civil Rights and Black Power Movements
Power of student and youth organizing
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Civil Rights and Black Power Movements
Power of going beyond “interest group” politics
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Civil Rights and Black Power Movements
Importance of institutional and systemic racism as an organizing issue
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Civil Rights Movements
Cultural practices, e.g. music, can be useful (“We Shall Overcome”)
“My Country ‘tis Of Thy People You’re Dying”
“No No Keshagesh”
“Rise Up!”
“Boil Water Advisory”
“Starlight Tour”
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Civil Rights and Black Power Movements
Outside organizations can be important allies e.g. SCLC’s work with the U.S. Communist Party, White college students
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Civil Rights Movement
The importance of leadership training (e.g. Citizenship or Freedom Schools
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Civil Rights Movement
Political consciousness
Activism
Activism
Political consciousness
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Civil Rights Movement
Individuals already belonging to social groups are more ready to become active (i.e. source of recruitment)
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Civil Rights Movements
Turning threats on their head, e.g. Bull Connor
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Civil Rights Movements
Turning threats on their head, e.g. Joe Arpaio
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Cross-generational Alliances
Many activists in social movements come from families with traditions of overt defiance or activism
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Create Innovative Action Repertoires
Barricades, French Revolution - originally erected for neighbourhood security
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Create Innovative Action Repertoires
Sit-down strikes during the Civil Rights movement began during 1930s
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Create Innovative Action Repertoires
Sit-down strike in a school building or division offices?
“Sick-outs”?
Picketing, at division office? At superintendents homes?
Chaining ourselves to a fence?
Hunger strike?
Freedom Ride with strategic informational stops?
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Framing
How organizations, the media, and leaders frame social issues determines what is viewed as important in a particular context and what actions should be taken
To the extent that organizing groups are successful in shaping public perception of an issue, they will be more likely to build political will amongst leaders to take action
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Two Kinds of Organizing Organizations
Institutional membership organizations
Direct membership organizations
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Institutional Membership Organization
Example: The Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)
IAF is descended by organization of same name est. by Alinsky
Does not organize around issues until it has organized a neighborhood
Iron rule: “Don’t do for others what they can do for themselves.”
Organized on large geographic scale w/o losing local autonomy
Affiliates in Texas, Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix, NYC
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Direct Membership Organizing
Drew on work of Fred Ross, Students for a Democratic Society, and National Welfare Rights Organization
Mobilization begins with self-interest, but success develops a sense of group power and broader scope
Example: Association of Communities Organized for Reform Now (ACORN)
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Saskatchewan Community Schools
The Action Committee on Housing was formed at Riverside Community School . . .The Committee is focusing on issues of affordable housing in the inner city, ‘Midtown’ of Prince Albert. These issues include the construction of high density/low income housing, safety and re-vitalization of the Midtown area as a place where families and all citizens can live and thrive. . . . Committee members have presented their concerns/views/ideas to the Mayor, City of P.A. Social Development Officer, Riverbank Development Corporation and have recently presented at the Community Knowledge Exchange on Housing/Homelessness hosted by the Community Networking Coalition.
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What’s To Be Done?